Eventually
by Expression Please
Summary: What happens when Hermione is sorted into Slytherin and becomes the Ultimate Slytherin along with Draco, Pansy, The Greengrass sisters and Blaise? How many will fall for her after Pansy gives her a make over? Will she fall for Draco? NOT DONE. R&R please!
1. First Year: The Ultimate Slytherin

**_Why hello there, ;) _**

**_This is my next story , yes another Dramione :3 I'm smitten with this ship i swear._**

**_ANYWAY , _**

**_Enjoy , i did (:_**

**_Read & Review_**

**_~Suka (Expression Please)_**

* * *

><p><em><strong>*********First Year***********<strong>_

McGonagall sat the Sorting Hat upon Hermione Granger's head. She was shaking with fear, scared of not being good enough for the house in which she would be placed. The Hat was quiet for a moment, in this moment Hermione began to relax - until it spoke.

"Hermione Granger." The Hat said loudly. "Where am I going to put you? Brains, no doubt. More intelligent than any other I've seen this night. Ravenclaw?" He questioned.

Hermione looked to the Ravenclaw table as a few murmurs of approval met her ears.

"What's stopping me from being in Ravenclaw?" She asked the Hat bravely. The Hat laughed.

"Oh nothing, my dear Granger. Nothing at all." He spoke amused. Hermione breathed deeply, waiting. This was the longest the Hat had taken to sort yet.

"Except, I see bravery in your Soul, Granger. Bravery and loyalty. Whatever house I put you in now, you'll stick with the values of which eternally. I can see that." The Hat said, the Gryffindor table humming in anticipation. Hermione began to sweat. She could feel the beads of perspiration dripping slowly down her neck, and her hands were becoming hot and clammy from holding on to the edge of her chair.

"But there's one more factor in there, Granger, in that closed off little soul of yours." The Hat said eagerly. Hermione's breath hitched in her throat, knowing exactly what the Hat was talking about and praying the Hat didn't say anything concerning it out loud.

"You have secrets, many secrets. You're stubborn, and proud of which though - never to let anything break you down or feel less. I can see you, Granger. I may be a piece of enchanted fabric atop of your head, but I can see you now, and I can see you ahead of time." The Hat continued, the whole of the Great Hall intrigued as to where this girl was going to go. It was clear she would be a great addition to whatever house the Sorting Hat chose for her.

"Very well then," The Hat said coming to an end of his speech. "Granger, you belong in…." Hermione stopped breathing and closed her eyes, listening intently for the name of her house for the next 7 years.

"SLYTHERIN!" The Hat shrieked. The Slytherin table burst into cheers and screams, applauding the Hat's choice as Hermione stood up off the stool with the biggest of grins on her face. 'We'll make it work, Hermione.' she thought to herself. 'There's a reason you're in Slytherin.'

Hermione skipped over to her table and sat next to a group of 4 boys her age. Two of them were rather tall and bulky with messy dark hair, one had a clear olive complexion and deep brown eyes (quite the handsome one Hermione had to admit) and the other was lean with fair skin and bleach-blonde hair. But what drew her attention the most was the blonde boys' stormy grey eyes.

The boys greeted her with pats on the back and warm smiles, making Hermione blush each time they met her eyes. She tried to listen closely as the other first years were sorted too.

She had met three other boys on the Hogwarts Express: Neville Longbottom, Ron Weasley and Harry Potter. She watched eagerly as each boy rose from the crowd of eleven-year-olds. Her face fell as all three boys were to be in Gryffindor. A wave of disappointment washed over her.

Soon, during the feast after the Headmaster's speech, she'd made a group of acquaintances - if not already friends. The two tall bulky guys introduced themselves as Vincent Crabbe and Gregory Goyle with a quick handshake each before tucking into as much food as they could fit on their plates.

The olive boy with dreamy brown eyes was known as Blaise Zabini, and had already made her giggle and blush three times. Blaise wasn't conceited but he was definitely a flirt. He was funny and made Hermione laugh the most.

"The names Malfoy." The stormy-eyed boy had said smirking at her. "Draco Malfoy." He ran a hand through his blonde hair quickly to get it out of his eyes before speaking to her again.

"And your name?" He asked with another small smirk and questioning eyes. She figured he'd know after the painfully long sorting of herself.

"Um, Hermione Granger." She said with a small smile of her own. She looked into his eyes and could see them sparkle with a true smile. "It's nice to meet you, Draco." She said extending her hand. He took it and shook it gently, nodding slightly before he, too, piled his plate with food.

Four other girls came to sit with them as well. One girl was smaller than many but pretty nonetheless, named Pansy Parkinson. She was loud and slightly insensitive, always prying into someone else's life. With her she brought three other girls - two who looked oddly similar, and Hermione wouldn't have been surprised if they were related.

Millicent Bulstrode was on the chubby side with short frizzy-ish hair that was rather dark and made her skin look more pale than it already was. But she seemed nicer than Pansy and more quiet than the others. She seemed to have a thing for Crabbe - but only a small thing.

Daphne and Astoria Greengrass were the look alikes, and Hermione nodded in confidence when they said they were indeed sisters.

Daphne had warm green eyes and wavy blonde hair - almost like Draco's - past her shoulders. Her skin was fair and she was also lean and rather tall for a first year. She was similar to Pansy; although she was loud, she was less insensitive and more over-confident (almost vain - something else she had in common with Pansy).

Astoria's eyes were almost identical to Daphne's, the only difference being that Astoria's eyes were rounder to shape her face. Her hair was the same length as Daphne's, but Daphne's hair was almost a platinum blonde while Astoria's was more of a honey colour. Astoria was also lean and rather tall, but that was where the similarities between the two ended. Astoria was way quieter than Daphne and Millicent almost and when she did talk she was so kind and very humble.

Hermione was very happy with her new group of friends. She and Draco along with Blaise had made the ultimate Slytherin trio. She was finally somebody in this world, after being bullied and whatnot at her Muggle schools, she finally felt like she belonged here.

It was in the second week of being at Hogwarts when Draco, Blaise, Pansy, Daphne and herself were hanging around their favourite tree and seats in the courtyard on a Saturday.

Hermione was in her favourite Jeans, a white tank top with a black sweatshirt over top with a comfortable pair of flats. Her hair was tied back into two French braids - compliments to Daphne. She wore a single gold pendant around her neck, one that her father had given her before going off to Hogwarts.

Pansy had on a green V-Neck shirt with three-quarter sleeves that showed the lace of what Hermione guessed was a tank top. She was wearing skinny jeans and a pair of loafers - expensive loafers. In her ears she wore a pair of Diamond headed studs, her dark hair falling loosely to her shoulders.

Daphne was in a green, pleated skirt - much like the uniform - and knee high white socks and black flats. She had a black long-sleeved shirt with silver bracelets up each arm. Her platinum hair was pulled back into a low pony-tail over her shoulder.

Draco and Blaise were both in simple clothing. Draco had on a deep emerald v-neck t-shirt with grey track pants and a pair of sneakers. It was rather warm outside in the middle of August so he didn't feel the need for a jumper. Blaise was much the same dressed in a white v-neck and black jeans, also with a pair of sneakers. Hermione didn't miss the gold stud in his left ear either.

"Hey, Hermione," Pansy said eyeing the golden Eagle around Hermione's neck. "Where'd you get that necklace?" She asked, scooting closer to have a look. The others joined her and each had a good, close look at it.

"Its gorgeous!" Daphne said in awe. Her eyes glowed with admiration and what looked like possible envy. Blaise murmured a "Yeah, cool," before going back to levitating twigs and leaves on the ground with his wand

Draco frowned slightly as he turned it over in his hands. "Where did you get it?" He asked. "I've seen a similar one somewhere, I just don't remember."

Hermione smiled as he took a longer, closer look at her necklace than anyone else. She remembered the night her father gave it to her, she was in awe of it herself too.

"Uh, my father gave it to me the night before we came here. He said that it's to help me remember to be the boldest, brightest bird in the sky and fly as high as I can, to never give up." She said softly, her voice trailing off almost to a whisper.

Daphne smiled gently at her and sighed. "That's adorable." she cooed. Pansy nodded in agreement and had another look at it.

Draco cleared his throat lightly before speaking again. "And who is your father?" He asked, making direct eye contact with her and making her melt all over again, just like the night they first met. But the question stunned her. Nobody but her knew her parents, and everyone wanted to know.

"Yeah, who exactly are your parents?" Blaise added, getting up and sitting down on the ground in front of her. Hermione gulped.

"Um," Hermione said hesitantly. "Th-they, Uh, died?" She said, half asking herself. Draco raised and eyebrow, as did everyone else.

"Now we know she's definitely a Slytherin," Pansy laughed. The others joined in too, knowing full well she was lying.

"C'mon, 'Mione!" Daphne begged, nudging Hermione in the ribs.

"If your father gave you that necklace last week then either he's alive and you just lied, or you're adopted." Blaise said. Hermione felt her cheeks grow a bright red and kept her eyes on the ground in front of her feet.

Draco sensed there was something Hermione wasn't saying, but saw that she didn't want to talk about it. He nudged her thigh gently and offered her a small smile, giving her a look to say 'it's okay you can tell us'.

Hermione looked to Draco and lost herself momentarily in his silvery eyes. She knew she could tell them her secret, she just didn't feel up to it.

Pansy's voice yelling across the court yard interrupted Hermione's thoughts, and the five of them turned around to see who she was yelling at.

"What you staring at, Weasel?" She called, her eyes glaring intensely at the redhead and the messy-haired boy across the yard as they advanced towards them. The darker haired boy muttered something to Weasley as they approached.

"Not your pug face, Parkinson." Ron retorted coldly. Hermione couldn't believe this boy. He was so nice on the train and here he was talking to her friend like she was a boy.

Draco stood up, Blaise flanking him on the right. Hermione felt obliged to flank him as well so she got up and stood on Draco's left. "Make it quick then, Weasel." Draco said icily. "You're poisoning our air." Blaise sneered along with Draco, Hermione looked to them and then back at Ron and Harry who were surprisingly not glaring as harsh at her.

"Turned into one of them," Ron said to Hermione, looking her up and down. Hermione's eyebrows shot up. So Ron wanted to attack her now? She wondered. She gave her best Slytherin smirk and snorted.

"If by 'One of Them' you mean better than you then yeah, Weasel-Breath, I have." She shot back. Ron looked taken back at her response. Pansy and Daphne were snickering behind her as were Draco and Blaise.

Harry's face fell as he saw the new Hermione. He shot her an apologetic look and she suddenly felt bad. She offered him a 'Sorry' look as well and hoped he would accept. Ron just made her lose her already short temper.

"Psht, whatever. We were looking for the Hermione we met on the train. Guess she's not here anymore." Ron spat, clearly pissed as well. Hermione glared at him and opened her mouth to talk before Draco interrupted her.

"She's not a Gryffindork, Freckle-face. She's a Slytherin, and she'll dish out as much as you ask for, just like the rest of us." Draco spat angrily. He was glaring at Ron hard and had stepped in front of Hermione as if to protect her.

"Cute, Granger. Got your boyfriend to defend you 'cause you can't do it yourself." Ron said still glaring at Hermione. Hermione's mouth dropped and she felt her blood boil under her skin. Pansy saw Hermione's fisted hands shaking with anger and she, too, stood closer to Hermione glaring viciously at Ronald. Daphne followed along too.

"Listen here, Weasley," Hermione started, pushing past Draco to stand just over a foot away from Ron's face. "Draco isn't my boyfriend. And even if he was, its none of your bloody business. I don't need him to stand up for me because I can do it myself. I suggest you go find someone else to bother before I personally crack you one in the head."

Ron snorted. "You couldn't if you tried." He pressed on. "You're just threatening me to make yourself look good in front of your little posse." Harry began to tug on Ron's arm.

"C'mon, Ron," he muttered to his friend. "Let's just go, there's no point in fighting her." Ron just shook him off and continued his rant.

"You're just a prat, Granger. You've got nothing on me. I bet your parents are dark wizards too." He spat.

Hermione felt Draco and Daphne pulling her arms back. She was shaking with rage and hurt. Her eyes spilt the tears of anger that boiled up with her temper and she lunged at Ron with no hesitation. Ron jumped back, surprised that she actually attempted to hit him. If it weren't Draco and Daphne holding her back, Ron's nose would be good and broken.

Harry dragged Ron away from his shirt and watched as Hermione began yelling at him through tears and shaking with rage.

"COME BACK HER WEASLEY! IM NOT DONE WITH YOU!" She shrieked, trying to fight against the arms restricting her.

"'Mione, come on, he's not worth it." Blaise cooed from just in front of her.

"You've done it now, Ron," Harry said irritably as they turned the corner away from a fuming group of Slytherins.

"IM GONNA REARRANGE YOUR FACE!" She howled to Ron, her voice breaking as she finally fell to her knees in tears. Pansy and Daphne sat to her left, patting her back and rubbing her arm in comfort. Blaise was in front of her, wiping away her tears.

Draco was the only one Hermione could really register. Draco sat to her right, holding her hand and just sitting there. He looked at her weeping and squeezed her hand, letting her know he was there too.

Hermione sniffed and wiped her eyes and nose on the back of her sleeve. "Thanks guys," she murmured. "I bet I look pathetic right now." she giggled. Draco squeezed her hand again and she looked at him, smiling slightly.

Draco could see the hurt Ronald's words had caused Hermione, even through the small smile she offered. He smiled back and punched her shoulder lightly and affectionately.

"Nah, I would have ripped his head off too." he said winking at her. The group fell about in fits of laughter and soon enough it was getting dark. Draco stood up and held out his hand to help Hermione up too.

"Let's go, guys," Draco said, throwing his arm around Hermione and signalled for the other three to follow. Blaise laughed and threw an arm over both Daphne and Pansy and followed Draco and Hermione to the great hall.

That was the first time that year Hermione felt she had real friends that cared about her. It was also the first time she discovered her feelings for Draco Malfoy.

A few weeks after her head-but with Ron, the three girls plus Astoria were hanging around in the girls dormitories of the Slytherin dungeons. Hermione was sitting up on her bed, trying to finish a Potions essay on the properties of grindylow tentacles Professor Snape had set. Daphne and Pansy were sitting on the end of Astoria's bed, all three of them staring at Hermione and whispering frantically. Hermione noticed this and began to get annoyed.

"Don't you guys have homework or something to do?" She said, frowning across the room at the three girls. Pansy just shook her head.

"Don't you have something other than homework to do?" Daphne asked, inverting Hermione's question. Hermione sat there staring at the girls with a raised eyebrow. She was confused, wondering what exactly was wrong with completing her homework.

"Um, I don't understand the question." She stammered, putting her quill and parchment down. "What exactly is that supposed to mean?"

Pansy sighed and walked over and sat next to Hermione.

"We mean, if you put as much energy into your hair and clothes and entertainment as you did your homework, you could be like Daph or Tracy. Draco even, despite the fact he's a boy." She said, her eyes pleading something and her hands tugging slightly at Hermione's long school skirt.

Hermione rolled her eyes knowing exactly what they wanted to do. She knew they wanted to give her a makeover, turn her into a 'Real' Slytherin. She figured, she had the attitude so why not a look to match.

"Fine," She sighed, laughing as Daphne and Astoria rushed over and the three girls piled onto Hermione in a group hug.

"Just nothing to drastic!" She said as her friends got off her and starting going through Hermione's clothes.

"How do you describe 'drastic'?" Astoria giggled. "Green Mohawks? Pink bangs?"

"Oh I know!" Daphne said, dragging Hermione up-standing and bunching her hair in two pony-tails on the sides of her head. Hermione laughed and pushed Daphne away. "No pony-tails!" she said, sitting on Pansy's bed as she waited for them to be done with her clothes.

By then end of the clothes section of Hermione's makeover, she had more green clothing than anything else. Her school skirts were now shorter (sitting now three inches above her knee), almost all her shirts were V-necks and all her jeans were either skinny or straight-leg. She had a few other skirts that pansy had also slightly shortened - much to Hermione's protests - and her dresses were done much the same.

"Thanks, girls, so much." Hermione said packing her renewed clothes back in her trunk. "As much as I hate to admit, and this will definitely bruise my new Slytherin pride, but that was a lot of fun."

Four things happened after Hermione said that. Daphne looked at Astoria, Astoria looked at Pansy, Pansy looked at Daphne, and then all three girls looked at Hermione. In a matter of seconds all four girls were on the floor laughing. Hermione was crying from laughter after ten minutes. Eventually they calmed down and Hermione sat up off the floor and back on her trunk.

"Alright ladies," Daphne said dragging her honey-haired Sister off the floor. "Time for her hair."

Astoria and Pansy pulled over the large full length mirror from the corner of the room to sit it in front of Hermione. Hermione looked deep into her reflection and thought that this 'make-over' wasn't just changing her physically. She knew this would change the way she saw herself, not just everyone else. She knew her true self would rise after this, she could see it in her hazely-green eyes.

Pansy and Daphne all took out their wands and inspected Hermione's hair while Astoria took an emerald sheet off her bed and threw it over the mirror.

"No peeking til we're done," She said to Hermione, poking Hermione's nose as she looked up at her worried. "You're gonna have all the boys drooling at dinner and onwards!"

Hermione gulped hard. 'This is it,' she thought to herself. 'The new, but real Hermione is about to come out. We'll make it work'.

When the girls walked down to dinner, everyone stared. Pansy led them in with Astoria and Daphne flanking her. Behind them was the new and improved Hermione Jean Granger.

Hermione's once frizzy, uncontrollable brown hair was now a deep dark brown colour, almost black but not quite. It fell to her shoulders in thin curly waves, her left eyebrow concealed by a side fringe.

Her black flats made a light tapping sound as she walked through the great Hall. She was wearing an emerald v-neck with three-quarter sleeves (the one Pansy had been wearing the day she threatened to disfigure Ronald's face. Pansy volunteered to let Hermione keep it after insisting she had three others the same) and a pair of three quarter leggings. It was a simple outfit but it screamed 'Ultimate Slytherin' just like the girls aimed for.

Her plump lips were coated in a light pink gloss and she'd perfected her Slytherin smirk. The redness in her cheeks was completely natural. There were so many pairs of eyes looking at her transformation. She saw, at the Gryffindor table, quite a few of the boys do a spit take and a dew even whispered to their friends. What caught her off-guard the most was that even some of the older boys from second and third year were noticing her. 'Finally, people know exactly who I am' she thought excitedly to herself.

She passed by the end of the Gryffindor table and Seamus Finnegan from her Potions class wolf whistled. She would have winked if it weren't for the fact he was a Gryffindor, so instead she made little eye contact and walked straight past him.

As she approached the Slytherin table, Blaise's eyes widened as he nudged Draco (who was busy talking to Terrence Higgs and Goyle) to look at what Pansy and the Greengrass sisters had created. When Draco looked, his mouth dropped into a perfect 'O' and his eyes would not leave hers. Hermione felt that connection again and butterflies erupted in her stomach. 'Oh my goodness, he's looking. What do I do?' she panicked silently internally while on the outside she plastered on her very rehearsed smirk.

"Hello boys," she said winking at Blaise and offering Draco a very Slytherin smile.

"Hermione? Is that you?" Blaise said, squinting his eyes as if Hermione were a bright light or something far away. Draco was still staring at her awestruck.

Draco knew that Hermione really was something different, not the same as any other girl in Slytherin. She wasn't insensitive or vain or arrogant. But she was mesmerizing and possessive, she knew what she wanted and how to get it. Those were the factors that made Draco want to be her friend. But before her transformation, she was just Hermione Granger: Draco's close friend. When she walked through those doors this night, she was Hermione Granger: the crush of almost every first year boy in Slytherin and the majority of other house's male first years - including Draco. And Blaise.

"You brush up nicely, Granger," Draco finally said. Hermione's heart fluttered with excitement. 'Maybe there's a bonus to this new look,' Hermione thought to herself. She smirked at Draco, trying to keep up her new Slytherin attitude she planned on keeping for all eternity.

"Don't go falling for me now, Draco," She said, holding back her laughter as both Draco and Blaise did a spit-take. Being on the other side of the table, Hermione was on the receiving end of it. Squeezing her eyes shut, she wiped the back of her hand across her face and glared at the two boys. They spluttered a bit and she couldn't help but laugh.

"I don't know about Draco," Blaise said, getting back to his ordinary self. "But I already have," Hermione's eyes went as round as saucers at Blaise's comment and couldn't help the uncontrollable laughter that followed when he winked at her.

This was the first time she felt real. Laughter was her key to feeling comfortable in her own skin.

Pansy was sitting next to Blaise, Hermione, Astoria and Daphne sitting across from them. Pansy scoffed and gestured for Hermione to turn around.

"A certain Weasel looks like he's about to drool," she said smugly. Hermione's head whipped around and sure enough, Ronald was sitting in his seat with his mouth hanging open, staring at Hermione to his heart's content. Harry, sitting next to the red-head, glanced at Hermione and offered her a small smile as if to say 'Looks good, but I can't say that cause of Ron'. Hermione just turned around and shrugged as she started to scoop food onto her plate.

"Too bad," she said quietly. Draco had watched her this entire time and finally got through his shock and back to his old, typical Slytherin personality.

"Can't touch what he can't afford, right?" He said wiggling his eyebrows at Hermione. She giggled and nodded, not wanting to be rude and speaking with her mouth full.

Hermione could tell that she was meant to be in Slytherin. She was going to have fun for the next seven years, and no Weasel was gonna stop her.


	2. Second Year: Fancying Friends

Fancying Friends

_**Hello children;) how you doin'?**_

_**I'm really sorry that i haven't updated for awhile. Been busy at the hospital I broke my foot :/  
>But i'm here now , and i hope you enjoy this. <strong>_

_**I also want to thank **_matena_** for the idea she gave me  
>I also want to say to<strong>_ jansee517_** that neither a or b of your guesses are correct :P but , you give me inspiration and hope that this story will go far ;D**_

_**Thanks to the reviewers and i'd just like to say thank you to all the people – i mean seriously there were tonnes of you – who put this story on your favourites list and who put it on story alert :') i just want to remind everyone that the more reviews and suggestions and stuff i get the faster i will update and so on and so forth. I had a lot of fun writing this chapter. It got to the point that when i was writing about a facial expression Hermione was supposedly doing.. i was doing it too xD**_

_**ANYWAY**_

_**Enjoy the story **_

_**~Suka (Expression Please)**_

********Second Year**********

It was roughly a month before Christmas and the feud between Ron and Hermione had cooled down since a year ago. Since their first argument in the second week of their first year, the months had gone by smoothly and quickly - and Hermione couldn't have been happier about it. She was, however, very smug every time they passed each other in the corridor or made eye contact during meals. Hermione could see her new make-over had the Weasel on the edge of his chair with goggling eyes and his mouth in a perfect 'O'.

But, Hermione noticed that it wasn't just Ron's attention she was catching with her new look. Over the months she'd made plenty of 'friends' (being a Slytherin, she wouldn't dare call them that). Blaise, Draco, Astoria and herself had become exceptionally close, ruling the corridors when they walked by. She'd befriended almost all of the Slytherin male population of her age as well as become acquainted with a few Ravenclaw's here and there and one or two Hufflepuffs. But, she didn't dare associated herself with any Gryffindors, not in fear but in pure caution - in case they were friends with a certain red-headed Weasel.

People had been stopping and staring at her for a year now, and Draco was surely getting tired of it. Blaise and Astoria were too, but Draco seemed to take it to a whole other level. The four of them were disconnected from Pansy over the past year after having a row about Pansy's obsession with Draco, and with Daphne part of Pansy's clan, that left Astoria for Hermione to confide in.

"Tor?" Hermione said as the two of them were relaxing in the green light of the Slytherin common room. Astoria looked to her best friend. Hermione tried to be as non-chalant about the up-coming conversation she was about to start. "Draco's been acting weird for a really long time now," she stated. Astoria raised an eyebrow, unsure of what Hermione meant. Draco was Draco as far as Astoria was concerned.

"How so?" She asked Hermione, slouching down on her love-seat and crossing one foot over the other atop the coffee table between them.

Astoria and Draco weren't as close as Hermione was with him. Over the year - after her half-attack at Ron and after Pansy and Daphne had their way with her looks - Draco and Hermione got so close they were almost inseparable. They had every class together, and soon Blaise was part of the strong connection too. When Pansy and Daphne left (the argument was between all six of them - Pansy and Daphne against Draco, Hermione, Blaise and Astoria. Draco was sick of the clinginess Pansy burdened him with, Hermione and the others were defending him when she retaliated) Astoria joined in and soon they had a whole circle of friendship. But Astoria always felt like she wasn't as in sync with the other three.

Hermione knew all of this about Astoria. The two told each other everything, and Hermione felt like Astoria was the only one to trust.

"You know how when you guys made me over, how I was going to be the centre of attention? How you three said I'd be the only person anyone saw?" She asked, leaning her head back in her chair and lulling it sideways so she could still see Astoria. Astoria nodded, giving Hermione a look of confusion.

"Draco seems to be getting really… pissed off by all the attention. I mean, come on Tor, and don't pretend you don't see the looks we get when we go anywhere!" Hermione felt the hysteria rise in her voice, and it was then that she acknowledged the fact that she was getting annoyed with it too. "It's been a year, Tor. It still hasn't stopped."

Astoria looked at her best friend. "Blaise and I are annoyed, too, you know?" she said somewhat hurt. "Why don't we get this recognition?" she added, no louder than a whisper. It was Hermione's turn to look at Astoria in confusion.

"I know… But you and Blaise… You, like…"

"Don't mean as much as Draco," Astoria finished for Hermione. Hermione shook her head, frowning in frustration.

"No, that's not what I meant!" She defended herself. Astoria just nodded and made to get up.

"I know what you meant," Astoria said looking at Hermione with a look of awkwardness. "I just wish it didn't hurt. Mi, I love you and I want to help-"

"So why can't you?" Hermione interrupted, standing too so she was facing Astoria with only the table between them. Astoria just sighed.

"I just think that until you figure out why Draco's behaviour affects you more than me and Blaise, that's when it'll stop hurting me. I don't know about Blaise, but I'm supposed to be your best friend." Astoria said, and with that she made her way to her dormitory. Hermione gaped after her and sat back down in confusion and helplessness, completely forgetting about Draco, her feelings toward said blonde-haired boy and the all attention that was putting her friends on edge.

Blaise was entering the common room from his dormitory just before the conversation Hermione and Astoria had exchanged and decided not to intrude, waiting behind the Statue of Salazar Slytherin to the side of the stairs. He listened to the whole conversation - unintentionally - and felt his heart ache. Despite his very Slytherin attitude, he had a soft spot for Hermione and his two other best friends.

He was about to come out from behind the statue, looking left and right to see if anyone else was around. He looked back to Hermione and saw one lone tear slip down her cheek, making his face fall. He wished he didn't have to see her cry.

Blaise stepped forward to make her way over to her but the voice of their portrait on the outside was heard through the room.

"Hermione Granger, you have a visitor here to see you. A Gryffindor, no doubt."

Blaise's fists clenched, assuming it was the freckle-faced weasel here to have another go at his first love. He followed behind her silently as she got up, wiped her eyes and exited. He got a quick glimpse of the person waiting for her just before the portrait door closed and his eyes widened when he saw the messy black hair and glasses waiting for her.

Hermione stepped out of the portrait hole to find Harry Potter standing before her.

"Hermione," He said, his face lighting up ever so slightly as she looked into his green eyes. He noticed her hazel eyes were shiny and wet, like she'd been crying. She sniffed as elegantly as she could before speaking.

"Hello, Pot- I mean, Harry," she said shifting her weight from one foot to the other slowly. She tried to act natural, like she wasn't at war with herself about feelings and friends and being the centre of attention of everything. She smiled a big, hopefully not too forced smile. "What's up?"

Harry found it weird that Hermione was smiling at him. He would have thought for sure after spending the year being friends with Ron she would have all but bit his head off. But no, here she was smiling at him like they were old friends.

"Uh, there were just a few things I wanted to talk to you about," he said scratching his head. "Um, want to walk with me?" He asked sort if awkwardly, thrusting his thumb gently over his shoulder as an indication of movement from the hall.

Hermione stared at the dark-haired boy in front her. It was true, she sort of fancied him a little when they met on the train just over a year ago, and she thought he was sort of cute. But those feelings were dismissed as she became her inner Slytherin, the one the Sorting Hat predicted she'd be.

"Sure," She said, motioning for him to join her in her first step. It seemed sort of odd in Hermione's mind, that she was strolling through the castle with Harry Potter as it was nearing dark outside. _But,_ she thought to herself. _There's no harm in being civil. I mean Harry and me… We were never enemies._

"So what was it you wanted to tell me about?" Hermione asked Harry after a few minutes of light conversation on almost anything. They found themselves near the library and decided to take a seat in there. Harry looked everywhere but Hermione as he sat next to her, finding the right words to say.

"I know that you and Ron will probably never be friends," he started. Hermione snorted rather unattractively and it made Harry laugh. "Nope, never," he repeated, chuckling. He looked at Hermione intently, calming down a bit but still fidgeting with his hands. "I want the chance to be, though." he said. Hermione's eyes widened in shock. _Harry wants to be… friends?_ Hermione thought, awestruck at the request.

Hermione began to speak. "Harry I-"

"I know Ron's been giving you a hard time," Harry interrupted; scared his request would be rejected. She is, after all, the ultimate Slytherin Princess, he thought to himself. "And I know I was there through it all," he continued. "But his plotting and grumbling and rambling about you is driving me crazy. I told him from the start it wouldn't be worth fighting you. It's been a year and he's not come up with a thing and in all honesty, he's pissing me off." Harry concluded his rambling and looked to Hermione guiltily, but hopefully.

Hermione looked carefully at Harry. Looking deep into his eyes, she could tell that he was sincere. She knew that Harry meant what he was saying, and Hermione wanted to let him be her friend. He was the same boy she met on the train, if not even kinder. _He's such a Gryffindor_, she mused silently.

"Weasel is kind of a prat," She said, chuckling slightly and smiling small. Harry broke into a wide grin, taking her comment as an acceptance to his request of friendship. He looked into her eyes and Hermione stared straight back. She saw and felt everything she felt the first time she met him and found herself smiling at the memory.

Any sign of controlling her thoughts was long gone, and Hermione was giving in to the heat of the moment and shock of Harry's offer. Soon, she found herself leaning in slowly as was Harry.

As Harry's nose was getting closer to hers, Hermione's mind decided to play tricks on her. Harry's hair transformed slowly from black to platinum blonde, his eyes from green to grey. Before she knew it, Hermione was staring into the face of Draco Malfoy once again. Stunned and embarrassed, Hermione ducked her head in the hope that her dark hair would conceal her rapidly increasing blush. Harry felt the tension increase and scratched the back of his head nervously. Clearing his throat quietly, he moved over slightly, creating a bit more space between the two. Madame Pince's voice made them both jump.

"Why are you two still here?" She scolded. "Get back to your dormitories NOW!"

The Gryffindor and the Slytherin quickly jumped up and speed walked their way out of the library, taking off at a sprint speed once they were clear of it and laughing the whole way to the Slytherin common room entrance. Hermione smiled at Harry as they leant over their knees trying to catch their breath.

"That was a, uh, nice talk, Harry," Hermione said once her breathing returned to normal. Harry nodded and grinned in agreement. "We'll do this again some time,"

With a smile and a wave, Harry was on his way back to the Gryffindor tower, smiling like an idiot the whole way. Hermione, on the other hand, went back to her confused and ashamed state of mind once Harry Potter was out of her sight.

She sighed heavily before muttering the password to the woman in the portrait.

"Emeraldia Sliven," Hermione whispered looking forlorn. The woman in the portrait looked at her with concern.

"Rough evening?" She asked Hermione. Hermione just nodded with a small smile-slash-grimace for a thank you. The woman nodded in understanding and opened up for Hermione to enter quietly.

She went straight up to her Dormitory, hoping Astoria was still up there.

"Tor?" Hermione called through the room. When no one answered, she figured she'd catch her in the morning. She had a lot of thinking to do anyway.

What confused her most was the fact that she saw Draco's face when she was… with Harry. She knew she had a thing for Draco in first year when Ron tried to humiliate her in first year and for awhile after that. But when the argument with Pansy and Daphne happened, she all but forgot about it_. Why, though?_ She asked herself. _Why would I like Draco?_ Hermione pondered over this for awhile as she lay in bed waiting for sleep to take her away.

Draco was a dear friend to her. He was supportive and there for her. She told him everything (almost) and he did the same. He was also funny, creative, smart, witty, and bad. Not to mention good-looking - very good-looking.

"That's why when he acts weird it gets to me!" She thought out loud. Hermione looked around to see if anyone had heard her and found Astoria waiting in the doorway. Hermione looked guiltily at who she hoped was still her best friend.

Astoria rolled her eyes and made her way over to Hermione's bed. "Explain," was all she said and Hermione's eyes brightened up.

"Potter?" Draco exclaimed as Blaise recounted what he saw and heard to Draco when he returned to the dormitories after listening in on Astoria and Hermione. Blaise seemed kind of glad Draco was angry that Hermione went off with the Potter boy. He finally found someone who knew how he felt. Even though Draco had denied it for a whole year, Blaise knew his best friend had feelings for Hermione.

Draco was both angry and upset by this new Blaise had given him. He didn't understand what would possess Hermione to hang out with the stupid Potter boy. He's a Gryffindor for crying out loud! He thought. He knew had some sort of feelings for her, but it had varied over the year. She was smart, attractive, sassy, independent and possessive. Everything Draco liked and more. She was so different to the other Slytherin girls - and WAY less clingy than Pansy (Pansy had the idea they were betrothed and were to be together forever. He disliked her very much).

"Blaise," he said, his face falling. "You don't think she… fancies Potter, do you?" Blaise looked at Draco with the same expression and shrugged.

"Dunno," he said, looking to the floor and shuffling his feet.

Draco kept looking at his best mate. He knew Blaise, and he knew that Blaise had a crush on Hermione too. He didn't care that he and his best friend liked the same girl - who also happened to be their best friend - but he did care if said girl liked another boy. Draco lay back on his bed as Blaise did the same.

"You like her too, huh Blaise?" Draco asked as he kicked off his shoes. Blaise paused for a brief moment and then carried on preparing for bed.

"Yep," he said, unashamed. He'd already hinted to Hermione that he did, and she seemed to have accepted that but didn't take it seriously. It didn't hurt Blaise but it made him more persistent to make her feel the same. Draco laughed at his friend.

"Get in there, mate," He joked. Blaise laughed to and pointed at Draco.

"May the best man win," Draco said, watching as Blaise nodded with an evil grin.

The next morning, Ron and Harry were on separate ends of the very long Gryffindor table. Harry sat happily with Seamus and Dean, while Ron sat with his brothers, Fred and George, tormenting him all through breakfast as he sat glaring at Hermione. When Harry had got back to the Gryffindor tower after being with Hermione, Ron was perched on the arm of the sofa waiting for him. He had exploded at Harry for 'socialising with the enemy.' Harry just waved his fellow Gryffindor off and proceeded to their dorm with a goofy smile on his face. The same goofy smile he wore that morning at breakfast.

Seamus and Dean noticed Harry's grin and looked at each other. The next thing Harry knew, they were throwing questions at him like bullets.

"Who is she, mate?"

"Is she hot?"

"What house is she in?"

"Gryffindor?"

"Ravenclaw?"

"Oh, I bet she's a Slytherin!"

Harry rolled his eyes t them and continued to eat before gathering his thoughts into words and speaking to his overly nosey friends.

"It's no one," He ensured Seamus and Dean. "I'm just in a good mood. Quidditch try-outs are today." Seamus and Dean nodded in understanding but still not fully convinced Harry was telling the truth. They were right, of course. Harry knew he would kill it at the quidditch try-outs because a certain Slytherin brunette gave him hope. At that moment, a smaller red-head that Harry had seen hanging around in the Gryffindor tower with Ron came up to him with a big smile.

"Hi Harry!" She said enthusiastically. "Good luck for the quidditch try outs! You'll do great." And with that she bounced off happily with her other first-year friends giggling and whispering about the older Gryffindor. Harry raised an eyebrow and watched as the little red-head disappeared from sight. _Guess she likes me or something,_ he thought to himself, shaking it off.

"What'd my sister want?" A voice said from behind him. Naturally it was Ronald, and of course – now that he thought of it – the little girl that had approached him had the same fiery red hair as Ron as well as the matching splash of freckles over the bridge of their nose.

"Oh nothing," Harry replied finishing up his last bite of toast. "She just wanted to wish me luck for quidditch try outs, you know." Ron looked at Harry as he finished up his breakfast. "What?" Harry said looking awkwardly behind him. Ron just chuckled as they filed out of the hall.

"You know, Ginny has had a crush on you since i got home at the end of last year and told them about you." Ron said matter-of-factly. "And, when you came over for the holidays before this year started... she was so excited. I'm surprised she hasn't got a hidden shrine of you in her room somewhere." Harry laughed as Ron rambled about his sister's feelings and then paused for a moment.

"How do you know she doesn't?" He asked with a raised eyebrow. Ron just shrugged his shoulders and the two continued walking. "I checked, she just has small vials of love potion hidden in every nook and cranny."

Harry looked at Ron with a worried look and Ron stared back.

"What?" Ron said.

Hermione and Astoria were hanging out by the lake on Christmas Eve, deep in conversation as they wrapped their arms around themselves and pulled their beanies over their ears. The snow was falling gracefully around them, leaving specks of white on their shoulders and lap.

"So," Astoria said looking at the brunette with questioning eyes. "Have you told Draco since our discussion like, a month ago?" Hermione scoffed and tried her hardest to hide everything she was thinking from her eyes. There was no way she had ever planned on telling Draco her secret. It was way too risky for her to do, for Draco to have to deal with. There were so many things she had left to tell Draco, and the rest of her friends. It'd been a year and she'd kept her secrets intact – she had absolutely no intentions of letting them out now. She'd done so well.

Unfortunately for Hermione, her honey-haired friend could read her like a book. "'Mione," she said putting her hands on Hermione's shoulders and turning her so they were face to face. "I know that look. What's on your mind?"

Hermione bit her lip and diverted her eyes away from Astoria. "I... I don't want to talk about it." She said quietly. Astoria looked at her with concern. She knew it was hard to crack open Hermione, she wasn't exactly the open kind of book she read. Hermione was closed, the kind that you can only guess from the small summary at the back. Astoria didn't like it when Hermione kept secrets, but then again she didn't want to intrude on her privacy.

"What is it?" Astoria prodded. "Wait doesn't tell me... that's not your natural hair colour!" Astoria faked a shocked look as Hermione turned her head to look at her. The two of them began to laugh and laugh, the kind of shrill laughter that could be heard at all corners of the school.

After calming down ten minutes later, Hermione turned to her best friend. "Tor, you know that I like Draco..." She started with a curious tone to her voice. Astoria just rolled her eyes.

"Blaise." She answered Hermione's question before she even had a chance to ask it. Hermione's eyes widened in shock at Astoria's open confession. She just admitted she liked Blaise, their other best friend. Hermione felt immediately bad about it, though. She knew Blaise didn't have just a crush on Hermione – it was more of a _super_ crush.

Astoria continued to read what Hermione was thinking via her eyes. "I know," She said nudging Hermione's shoulder with her own. "Blaise likes you. I don't mind, but, you see, you like Draco Malfoy. I have nothing to worry about."

Hermione's eyes brightened immediately_. At least I won't be losing Tor to a boy I don't like that way,_ she thought to herself.

Said boy was currently in the Slytherin common room on his own, sitting by the fire. He was upset that Hermione never took him seriously. He wanted to change but his Slytherin ways and outgoing personality got in there first. He sighed and silently gave up. _I'll never get in there, Draco._ He thought to himself. But he didn't feel bad for long.

Blaise knew that Hermione was always going to be his close friend. That wasn't going to change. He accepted the fact that Hermione wouldn't ever feel that way about him. There was no use in beating himself up about it if he couldn't change it.

Draco, on the other hand, was not so fortunate. He knew that Hermione liked someone; she and Astoria were always talking about it in hushed conversations behind them in class and at meal times as well as in the common room. He was now determined to make said 'Hermione's crush' be him. He just didn't know how. It was the Christmas holidays so he had about a week and a half to figure out a plan worth fulfilling. He had to have Hermione – no matter how long it took.


End file.
